When Portraits Talk
by Selene13
Summary: When the portraits in Dumbledore's office shifted and shrank slightly, their occupants knew that whose portrait was coming to join them. Soon, voices came up about a certain headmaster and his life in this office. AD/MM One-Shot R and R please, thank you!


**Disclaimer: Only the Dumbledore children belong to me**

 **Author's note: To everyone who had seen my fics years ago, I'm back! To people who are reading my fic for the first time, hi!**

 **Just two notes here: Dumbledore's and Minerva's age have been altered, a few events in HP universe have been changed in timing too.**

 **Text in italics means flashback, while normal text format means present time.**

 **Here goes...**

* * *

When the portraits in Dumbledore's office shifted and shrank slightly, their occupants knew that whose portrait was coming to join them. Soon, voices came up…

"I knew this day would come eventually," said Professor Armando Dippet in his portrait, sighing. "He had been telling us to prepare for days now."

"What a pity," said Dexter Fortescue, shaking his head. "It's an end of an era."

"I didn't agree with him about admitting more muggle-borns and half-bloods to this school," said Elizabeth Burke haughtily, "but you couldn't deny that he had style in running this place."

"Hear hear." said the rest of the portraits in unison, all nodding their heads.

"He has style in everything," said Dilys Derwent kindly. "He had so much unique ideas about running this school, ideas that no one could dream of."

"Barking mad ideas, you mean, "said Phineas Black, "he had been such a rascal back in his school days, being called up here in this office for goodness knows how many times for causing trouble and mayhem. You thought the Weasley twins or the James Potter gang was troublesome, that's because you hadn't seen Albus Dumbledore in his school days, he was the word "Trouble" in human form, isn't that right, Professor Dippet?"

Professor Dippet was silent, refusing to answer. But he did remember Dumbledore in his school days, smart as he was, he was also the troublesome one….

* * *

 _"Mr. Dumbledore, would you mind telling me… why did you go to the Forbidden Forest? Do I have to remind you that it's been the second time you have been caught in there by the gamekeeper?" Dippet asked the boy in front of his desk._

 _The portraits in the Headmaster's office watched young Albus chewed the insides of his cheeks as he thought carefully. He was 12, young and had a great sense of adventure, unlike his knowledge of the word "danger", or it seemed._

 _"I … I was looking for a creature, Sir." said Albus finally, not blinking at all._

 _"A creature?"_

 _"Yes Sir, a, small yellow creature that grows in the Forest," said Albus, nodding, "I heard that it's called Pika or something like that, produces lighting, and it looks like a mouse with pointed ears."_

 _"I believe you have been misled, Mr Dumbledore. I have not seen or heard such creature in my entire life, even though there hasn't been anyone who studied magizoology have gone through the trouble of finding, catching and sorting all the magical creatures." said Dippet._

 _"…Oh." said Albus, with a slight disappointment in his voice. "I see. What I have read in the library must have been fictional then. What a fool I am to believe it!"_

 _"I believed that it's time for you to separate reality from fiction and stop believing whatever you have read now, Mr Dumbledore."_

 _"Yes Sir, definitely, Sir." said Albus, nodding._

 _"Off you go then." said Dippet and Albus left with quick stride…_

* * *

"… Lies!" said Phineas loudly, rolling his eyes. "He was capable of sprouting nonsense without blinking!"

"Even his excuses are so unique that I doubt that the Weasley twins could come up with them!" said Fortescue, chuckling with laughter and waving his ear trumpet at the same time.

"I remember the next thing we knew, he was being sent in again a month later for fishing at the Lake, with an excuse of trying to catch some random creature that no one had heard of. The mermaid chief wasn't very happy."

"Of course he wasn't, that giant fish hook nearly took his tail. We could hear him screaming his head off at Albus from the lake. That Mermish translator told Albus that the chief wanted him to get 3 feet away from the lake from that time onwards." said Burke, trying to remember. "Get away or else risk smelling like a fish."

"Troublemaker." muttered Phineas. "He even set his bed curtains on fire during his 4th year! Said that it was an accident, but I know better!"

"Troublesome as he was, he had the most brilliant mind ever, and you can't deny that he looked so handsome when he was young," said Derwent. "His warm smile with a hint of mischief, auburn hair which the fringe just swept down elegantly to his twinkling bright blue eyes, statuesque nose, tall build and long slender fingers. He had somewhat made lesser trouble as he grew older, and when he stepped into the office as the new Head Boy, I could barely recognize him."

What Derwent had said caused a few giggles from the Headmistresses (including an unwilling nod from Burke), which the Headmasters watched with alarm.

"Have I said that he would be the Headmaster one day with his looks and brains like that?" said Phyllida Spore, shaking her head.

"I don't think him being offered the post got anything to do with his looks, more to his brains." said Phineas in annoyance.

"Sorry, but I have been thinking rationally for too long," said Phyllida. "Can't I think like a lovesick teenager for once? If only I'm in his time…"

"Good looking but still a troublemaker, he didn't even attend his own graduation ceremony, arrogant, that's what I call it!" Phineas said.

"Phineas, you know perfectly well that his mother passed away when he finished his N.E. , you saw it, it was in this office!" said Fortescue, longing to go over to Phineas's portrait and whacking him on the head with his ear trumpet.

* * *

 _"I'm so sorry." said the representative from St Mungo's._

 _The portraits watched as young Albus stood stiffly at his place, his wand held in his hand helplessly. He had just finished his exams and was about to celebrate with his friends when he had been called in._

 _"… How did it happen?" asked Albus finally, his voice broke._

 _"Your mother tried to save your sister from the consequences of her haywire magic." said the representative._

 _Albus was silent as he had his head low, totally crushed._

 _"Albus… I think you should go home, and take care of the matters there." said Dippet gently. "Don't worry about school now, the examiners told me that you had done well."_

 _"If you are to go home, we would be happy to help in whatever we can." said the representative helpfully._

 _At that sentence, Albus just shook his head, muttering, "No… it's all right, I can take care of it myself…"_

 _With that, he left the office, nearly knocking over the small table as he went out of the door._

 _And he didn't step into the office until years later._

* * *

"When he returned to take the Transfiguration teaching post, he looked older, and mature, only 25 years old, still handsome as ever, but his nose had broken, twice by the looks of it," said Derwent, "I told him to get his nose fixed in St's Mungo, but he said, 'Thank you, but it's better if I DON'T fix it, one just have to live on with a few painful reminders in life'."

"He seemed like a changed person when he returned, as if he had gone through a lot since he had graduated, still witty but had became more solemn… and when the war with Grindelwald broke out, he insisted on going after Grindelwald," said Dippet, "when he returned…"

"He looked worse." Phineas pointed out. "Much worse."

* * *

 _30 year-old Albus sat in front of the Headmaster's desk, his face seemed blank as he listened to the WWN through the radio in the office. It had being bewitched to turn on important news of the war since it started… Professor Dippet had left him alone to attend other matters._

 _"What a joyful day it is, 30 year old Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore had defeated Gellert Grindelwald…"_

 _"At such a young age, he has done what other wizards couldn't done! I guess the wizarding world owe him a big thank you!" said another voice from the radio._

 _"We sure does!"_

 _With that, a bouquet of flowers with a thank you card appeared on Albus's lap. And another, and another._

 _"Albus Dumbledore graduated from Hogwarts 13 years ago… years after his graduation, he made a great contribution to the wizarding world by discovering the 12 uses of dragon blood…"_

 _Albus stared at the flowers for a while before he pushed them aside listlessly to the floor, the expression on his handsome face was clearly devastation, not victorious, nor it was happiness. His tousled hair, unshaved chin and bloodshot eyes made him looked like a wreck instead of a powerful wizard that had returned from victory._

 _Finally, he broke down, bending over on his chair and wrapping his arms around himself as hot tears dropped onto his lap. He was holding the Elder Wand tightly, the wand that he took from Grindelwald after his defeat, so tightly that his hand trembled. His last moments with Gindelwald went through his head like carousel, driving him crazy._

 _He suddenly stood up and walked to the fireplace slowly. He took out the Elder Wand which he had got from Grindelwald and held it over the fire, with the intention of burning it into ashes._

 _"Have you gone mad?! It's the Elder Wand, for Merlin's sake! The unbeatable wand! The greatest wand ever! And you wanted to burn it like a firewood, you fool!" shouted Phineas in disapproval._

 _"The Elder Wand?"_

 _"You got to be kidding!"_

 _"Let me have a look!"_

 _The other portraits looked at the fireplace, all wanting to have a closer look with the legendary wand. Albus's face was now expressionless, staring at the glowing embers with a cool stare as if he was in a trance. The glow from the fireplace casted dark shadows over his face, making him to look sinister and... dark._

 _But then, just as he was about to drop it into the fire, he paused and reconsidered. "Since I got the greatest wand ever now, it would be a fool for me not to use it, isn't it?"_

 _"That's it, keep it, it's yours now." said Phineas, relieved._

 _"Yes, it's mine…" said Albus, his long finger rubbing along the wand. "I can use it for better things, for the benefit of the wizarding world. Not killing, but saving."_

 _"Oh great, here's another stupid one who doesn't appreciate the beauty of power." said Phineas in disgust._

 _"Power comes in many forms, Mr. Black." answered Albus, with that, he pocketed the Elder Wand._

 _Footsteps approached and Dippet came back. "Albus, I believe you are needed. Mr. Scamander had somehow bought in a Demiguise and it's causing havoc everywhere, and the problem is that we can't see it, even Mr. Scamander doesn't know how to catch it back."_

 _"Newton Scamander from Hufflepuff?" asked Albus, approaching Dippet. "I always like that young lad, his knowledge on magizoology is so vast that he even surprises Professor Kettleburn. So he brings in a Demiguise now? How interesting."_

 _"Not interesting when you see what it has done, Merlin I thought I have seen it all when he sneaked in a rare Golden Snidget, whole school in chaos, trying to catch it."_

 _Albus smiled half-heartedly. "At least it's not a Basilisk.'_

 _Dippet shook his head. "Oh no Albus, I don't think Scamander will have the courage to bring in a Basilisk egg…"_

 _The door closed behind the two Professors as they left._

* * *

"I always think that you were out of your mind when you appointed him as the Deputy Headmaster," said Phineas, "and even Headmaster after you had retired!"

"He loved this school, but hadn't you admitted before that he had style?" asked Dippet.

"…When?" asked Phineas, pretending to be clueless.

"More than once." said all the portraits in unison, all looking at Phineas.

"And I think his successor will be as good as he is." said Derwent. "Minerva McGonagall Dumbledore. If it wasn't for her, he would not walk fully out of his past and moved on. Why, more than once he thanked me for sort of setting him up with Minerva."

* * *

 _33 year-old Albus looked at the application forms in front of him, all applying for the Transfiguration post he had left behind when he took up the post of Headmaster. Every now and then, a new application appeared on his desk. The portraits were trying to help, giving him suggestions. Fawkes, a phoenix given to Albus from Newt Scamander after his graduation, rested on his perch, watched as his master looked through the applications seriously._

 _"This is a Slytherin, take him!" said Phineas, pointing at an application._

 _"Really, Phineas, a Slytherin who has no experience in teaching?" asked Walter Aragon. "No way am I hiring him if I'm Albus!"_

 _"Experiences can be earned!" snapped Phineas._

 _"How about this one, Albus?" asked Fortescue, pointing another application._

 _"Tom Riddle?" asked Albus before he put it aside without another look. "He has applied for Defense Against the Dark Arts without success and now he wants to apply for Transfiguration?"_

 _"Why don't you give him a try, Albus?" asked Dippet hopefully._

 _Albus just shook his head and continued to flip through._

 _"Oh I saw a name of someone who could take over!" said Derwent helpfully._

 _"Hmm?" Albus looked up at her portrait with a curious look._

 _"Minerva McGonagall. She's your junior and excels in both her O. and N.E. ." said Derwent._

 _Albus curiously took out the application and looked at the photo that came with it. The photo showed a young lady with beautiful black locks that framed her face. She had emerald green eyes that were as mesmerizing as a cat's._

 _"Oh I know her," Dippet joined in. "She's the Prefect and Head Girl back in her days here. You might have remembered her, she was in her fifth year when you came back to teach."_

 _Albus searched his memory, trying to remember._

 _"… The one who always work silently in my class? She's the quiet one, never tries to call attention for herself, sits at the… back, if I could recall… but she's the determined type, whenever I taught something, she would try and try again until she got it perfectly. Her grades were excellent back in class too….I remember now, was she the Chaser in the Gryffindor team as well?"_

 _"She was, but she broke her back during the last match during her seventh year. You weren't there because you were away. She was nearly paralysed and she was sent to St Mungo's for a few months. Healer told her she couldn't play Quidditch anymore when she recovered. I think she joined the Ministry after her graduation, if I'm not wrong." said Dippet._

 _"So how about it, Albus?" asked Derwent._

 _Albus thought for a while before he nodded in approval. "I think she would be suitable for the post. I will send her an owl. Thank you."_

* * *

"And the rest is history, blah blah blah," said Phineas. "She came and it's love at first sight, bleh, excuse me while I'm trying to puke."

"Really now Phineas, you are a married man yourself, surely you have some feelings for your wife?" asked Dippet.

"I married for the sake of my family's bloodline." said Phineas, his chin up.

Thinking that he would be wasting his breath with Phineas, Dippet decided to keep his mouth shut, rolling his eyes as he did.

"Minerva is such a wonderful woman," Derwent went on, "Smart, beautiful, independent, and able to stand up for herself, in fact, she's so perfect that poor Albus feared that she would reject him if he confesses his love for her. He feared that he's not good enough for her, being ten years older and imperfect in his own eyes. Lucky for him, Minerva liked him too. Oh the romantic moments they had in this office, didn't occur to us that Albus could be the romantic type when he wanted to. Roses, jewellery, he spoilt Minerva like a princess when they were together. And she was wonderful for him. Albus did so well when she's around, because of her, he was motivated to work even harder for the good of the wizarding world. Order of Merlin First Class, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Chairman of the International Confederation of Wizards, getting himself in the Chocolate Frog cards…"

"The number of times that we saw them kissing each other in this office!" said Phineas, curling his lips in disgust. "I always had to ask them to cut it out and bring it to private chambers where it supposed to be! And when they didn't hear me, I had to pour a bucket of cold water over them, which was fun, come to think of it."

Phineas gave an evil grin at the memory of young Albus and Minerva dripping wet from head to toe.

"They were young and madly in love with each other after all, Phineas. All Albus's happiness comes from her, his beloved wife... she's a spot of sunshine in his life…"

* * *

 _"How do I look?" asked 35 year old Albus to the portraits. His short auburn hair was nicely groomed with part of the fringe resting over his forehead as usual, his chin was clean-shaved and he was well-dressed._

 _"Good, as usual." said Aragon kindly._

 _"Get the sweat off your face." barked Phineas. "You looked ridiculous."_

 _Albus let out a breath as he took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "Everyone, maybe I should…"_

 _"Albus, we watched you grow from a child to an adult," said Dippet. "It's time for you to move on to the next stage of your life."_

 _Albus swallowed nervously. "But…"_

 _KNOCK KNOCK_

 _"Oh no, she's here!" said Albus, suddenly panicked and checking his appearance for the third time on a silver instrument that he had on the table._

 _"Keep calm and get a grip," said Phineas and an ugly smile appeared on his face. "It's not like she's going to leave Hogwarts. Ignore you, maybe, but not leaving."_

 _Albus went pale as the rest of the Headmasters and Headmistresses hissed at Phineas and reprimanded him for being such a wet blanket._

 _"C-come in!" he stammered, backing away and gripping the edge of his desk nervously._

 _Minerva came in, her hair down as it were school holidays. She was wearing a lovely long dress of red and black tartan, showing off her curves perfectly. She had just turned 25, way in her prime. Her emerald eyes sparkled when she saw the man she loved standing in front of her, wearing the deep blue muggle suit with light blue stars at the collar that brought out the blue in his eyes._

 _As her father was a muggle, Minerva had seen, and always liked to see men in suits, for they gave off a sense of suaveness, maturity and decency. She let Albus to try one once and he liked it. Seeing that wearing them pleased her, he wore them often too when it were holidays, provided that their designs suited his taste of clothing._

 _"Albus," she said, smiling. Even nearly 2 years of being together, her voice still sounded like chamber music to his ears, pleasant and soothing. "What is it so urgent that you have to summon me from my cottage?"_

 _For a moment, Albus didn't answer, in fact, he seemed to have petrified to stone, just like the poor Mytle years ago. Minerva stepped forward curiously, asking, "Albus?"_

 _The previous Headmasters and Headmistresses in their portraits watched attentively as Albus snapped out of his senses and opened his mouth, "Nothing, really… I just wanted to ask you…"_

 _"Hmm?" She tilted her head with a questioning look, still giving him the smile, the sweet smile that she reserved just for him, which could melt Albus's heart straightaway._

 _"….Want a piece of lemon green tea drop?" he asked finally._

 _The portraits nearly fainted, if it wasn't for the spell that held them on the wall, they would fell off._

 _"Really Albus, you know that's not the question!" shouted Aragon._

 _"Urgh…" said Derwent impatiently._

 _"Lemon green tea drop will be nice…" said Minerva, slowly beginning to think that there's something amiss._

 _"And a cup of tea?"_

 _"… All right."_

 _Albus busied himself with one of silver bottles that held the new flavor of lemon drops and making tea as Minerva stroked and fed Fawkes kindly._

 _Albus took such a long time that Phineas lost his patience, saying, "Albus, shame on you being a Gryffindor! I shall ask her on your behalf if you continue to mess with those stuff of yours!"_

 _Albus took in a breath sharply as Minerva asked, "Ask me what?"_

 _"He wants to ask…" began Phineas when Albus casted a non-verbal spell on him._

 _Phineas realized that he couldn't get a word out and there he was, shouting with frustration in silence._

 _"Really Albus, if you keep being mysterious, I'm leaving." said Minerva with a slight annoyance and turned to leave._

 _Seeing that she's really leaving, Albus ran after her and held her hand. "No no no, please don't."_

 _"Are you going to tell me then?" asked Minerva._

 _Albus breathed in before letting it out and asked, "Minerva, do you like my office?"_

 _Minerva blinked. His office? "Yes, I do… we have so much wonderful memories here…Valentine's Day, our birthdays, Christmas…"_

 _"Good… good, um, today I asked you to come here, because it's our special place, and I… I want… I want to let all the Headmasters and Headmistresses to witness this…"_

 _With that, still holding her hand, he went down on a knee, which very obvious as he was wearing a suit. Minerva watched with her eyes widened._

 _Looking at the woman he loved, he swallowed and spoke, "Minerva, you have done so much for me and all I could give you in return is to love you. All the honour and glory that I have received are nothing compare to your motivation and love. Minerva… will you marry me and let me be with you for the rest of our lives?"_

 _Minerva was stunned as she looked at Albus. The portraits were waiting, holding their breath. As the silence went on, dread filled Albus's heart until she said, "Do you know what I love the most?"_

 _That question caught Albus's by surprise. His mind went blank but before he could answer, Minerva caressed his cheek with her hand with much affection._

 _"It's not the roses or gifts you have given me. It's your presence. Being at your side is what I love most. I love you, my husband."_

 _Albus gaped, couldn't believe what he had heard until the portraits asked him to get up. He got up to his feet quickly, and took out a silver ring from his pocket before putting it gently through Minerva's delicate finger._

 _As they kissed, the portraits clapped and cheered, except for Phineas, who was still cursing silently._

* * *

"Indeed, this office holds so much memories for her and Albus… they brought their children here too during the holidays before they got admitted to Hogwarts," said Derwent, shaking her head. "Achilles and Athena, Achilles is much like his mother, independent and strong, but Athena is the one who stick to her father like glue…"

* * *

 _"Athena, now sit still." said 40 year old Albus to his 2 year old daughter as he placed her on his lap at night._

 _His auburn hair had now grown longer and covering the back of his neck, which he had tied up into a short ponytail. His eyes were now framed with half-moon shaped spectacles and decided that he should change his image now that he was the father of two instead of the 6 times winner of the "Most Charming Bachelor" on Witch Weekly (actually he could get a seventh time if it wasn't that he decided to withdraw), a beard had started to grow on his chin and around his mouth._

 _Athena sat on his lap like an angel while her father looked through his speech for the upcoming Hogwarts graduation ceremony. Unable to understand all those words on the papers at all, she soon got bored and started fidgeting restlessly._

 _"You want to go elsewhere?" asked Albus kindly as he put Athena down. "Go on then."_

 _With her tiny feet, Athena walked off. She walked around, exploring the office, looking at all the portraits with interest (and receiving quite a few enthusiastic waves from them in return) and lingering for a long time in front of Fawkes, which looked back at her with interest. Albus was editing the speech when she came back again, tugging him on his robes with her small hands._

 _"Yes, my dear?" asked Albus, taking off his spectacles._

 _Athena pointed up and said, "Gar."_

 _"Ah, you want to look at the stars?"_

 _Athena nodded._

 _"Wait a moment…" said Albus as he finished up editing. "All right then."_

 _He got up from his seat, took his daughter's hand and to the space in front of the desk. With a wave of his hand, he dimmed the area around him and Athena. With another wave, the entire night sky appeared above their heads. It's a magic he had learnt from the centaurs, which he had visited and made peace with in the Forest._

 _Athena clapped with excitement and as Albus carried her up, she squealed as the night sky seemed nearer to her, as if she could touch it. A shooting star ran across the sky, leaving a long tail behind._

 _"Shee, Daddy, Venei." said Athena, pointing out Venus._

 _"Ah, I see you have remembered what I have told you." said Albus, slightly pleased. "Yes, that's Venus."_

 _With Athena still in the air, he spun around, causing her to laugh in delight as the stars seemed to be spinning around her. However, it wasn't long before she yawned._

 _"Tired now aren't you?" asked Albus softly before he changed her position and let her rest in his arms. Patting her back with much gentleness, he whispered, "Sleep now, my dear girl."_

 _Soon, Athena slept peacefully in her father's arms, right beneath the stars. Albus kissed her with affection, his eyes filled with love for his daughter._

* * *

"Fool!" said Phineas loudly. "Troublemaking, lovesick fool! If it wasn't for trying to be noble, he would have live on!"

"He's not trying, he WAS." corrected Dippet. "He always had been, since the war with Grindlewald. Ever since You-Know-Who returned, he became solemn, quieter, his frown almost became permanent on his face. He already knew what lies ahead in order to defeat You-Know-Who…"

* * *

 _70 year old Albus sat down heavily on his chair with his 34 year old son Achilles Dumbledore supporting him. Achilles looked exactly like Albus in his youth, except for his black hair and green eyes. Working in the Ministry as an Auror, he made his parents proud by accomplishing several achievements against Dark wizards. Right now, his handsome face was lined with worry as he helped his father to settle down._

 _Decades had gone by and Albus had grown old, his hair was long and silver, his beard was now long enough to tuck into his belt. His wrinkled face was tired and pale._

 _"I shall go and get Mum." said Achilles and was about to leave when Albus caught hold of him. "No, Achilles, don't get her… in fact, don't tell her anything."_

 _Looking at his severe injured hand with the Gaunt ring on it, Achilles shook his head, "She ought to know, Dad. She bound to find out if she sees your hand like this."_

 _"I will take care of it, somehow…" said Albus calmly as he leaned on the table, looking at the silver instruments or, what was left of them, since Harry Potter had broken some of them back in his 5th year._

 _Achilles frowned and asked, "You mean you are going to intend to hide from her until the day comes? Dad, Professor Snape said you have only a year to live, and you are not going to tell her ANYTHING?"_

 _The portraits who heard that sentence gasped in shock and started to mutter in discussion._

 _"It's all for the best, my son. Please understand."_

 _"All I understand is that you are dying and you are not telling Mum to let her share your woes!" said Achilles loudly, his voice filled with anxiety for his father. "This poison will spread throughout your body and there's no cure! Mother will not be happy if she knows that you keep her in the dark about such serious matter!"_

 _Albus was silent as he looked at the ring on his finger as his son spoke sternly._

 _Seeing that he had no answer, Achilles was about to leave again when Albus said, "If you wish to break your mother's heart, by all means, go ahead and tell her."_

 _Achilles stopped in his tracks before he turned back slowly, his eyes wet. "Dad…"_

 _"It's bad enough to let you know about this," Albus said quietly. "I do not wish the whole family to live on with sorrow as well. It's all for the best, let your mother and sister live on without the burden to know that I'm dying within a year."_

 _Achilles kneeled beside his father and placed his hands on his lap. He was silent and when he opened his mouth, his voice was filled with emotions, "Dad, why can't you just think for yourself just once and leave all this behind? Let me take your place instead, just leave with Mother and with your abilities, surely you can find a cure within a year…"_

 _"I understand your intentions, Achilles. You have grown up," said Albus, stroking his son's hair._

 _Looking at the face that was so much like his when he was young, he smiled warmly. "And I have grown old, death is inevitable for everyone so I'm prepared for it. I'm even beginning to look forward to my next adventure."_

 _Achilles's face was filled with sorrow as he rested his head tiredly on his hands. "I can't convince you at all, can't I?"_

 _Albus continued to smile. "If you have known me as long as these portraits here, you should know the answer very well."_

 _The portraits were quiet._

 _"What is going to happen after a year is going to be hard, you need to support your mother in every way that a son can support." said Albus as he looked out at the window to the soft light of dusk on the outer grounds of Hogwarts, his hand on his son's head._

 _Achilles refused to answer, he still didn't want to admit the fact that his father would be dead after a year._

 _"Are you listening, Achilles?"_

 _"…Yes." said Achilles finally. He was like a child again, resting on his father's lap in comfort._

 _"You are my and your mother's pride ever since you were born," said Albus, patting Achilles's back. "You were named Achilles, because we don't want you to get hurt in any way. We want you to be strong in every sense, and, as all parents do, we want to protect you, and your sister as well."_

 _"So, for the last year of my life, allow me to deal with the Horocruxes and Voldemort, for I know them much more than you do. I would rather spend the last stage of my life using all my knowledge to fight for the wizarding world until the very end, rather than spend it quietly away like a hermit."_

 _Achilles blinked as tears landed onto his father's lap. Albus knew he was trying hard to conceal it, so, pretending that he didn't see his son's grief, he said, "I believe that you have to go now, the Auror Headquarters are quite short-handed lately. For now, let's just pretend that nothing has happened to me and you and I are only talking to each other just like any other father and son. If you see your mother out of this office, don't tell her anything about today, except that we were chatting casually."_

 _Achilles nodded as he got up slowly. Still looking at the floor, he asked, "Can I be at your side when it comes?"_

 _"Achilles, I just said…"_

 _"Please." Achilles said._

 _Albus sighed, "I can't tell you when will that day be. You will know…together with the rest of the wizarding world when it happens."_

 _Achilles seemed to be unable to take it any longer, he turned and just stepped out in quick stride, closing the doors with much force as he went._

 _Albus sat still for a while before he stood up and went to the Pensive. Taking out his wand, he retrieved the contents and watched for a very long time, until the sun had long went down and the stars appeared in the night sky._

* * *

 _The portraits watched as Albus worked throughout the year, going in and out for the Horcruxes, giving Harry Potter lessons about Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort, taking care of school matters etc. Maybe it was the poison, but he had grown much older, thinner and even weaker as the days passed by. All he told Minerva was that he was getting too old for all these matters and everything would be better once it was over._

 _Athena dropped by one day and was shocked to see her father, looking so old and frail as he looked through the papers on his desk._

 _"Daddy, why don't you take a rest and be like a military advisor, stand way behind the front line and give commands instead?" she asked as she sat down._

 _At 32, she was already married to her brother's fellow colleague Terrence Wellard, a sweet humble man who was in Hufflepuff in his schooldays. She was the exact copy of her mother, with auburn locks that framed her face and lovely blue eyes. As she worked in the Ministry, she served as a diplomat between all kinds such as humans, magical creatures and even centaurs._

 _"I afraid that I'm addicted to this, my dear," said Albus, smiling. "I'm not used to lead a quiet life away from the war like other old people do. Besides, there are things that I needed to do myself."_

 _Athena smiled back and nodded, "Ah I understand, you are a noble man that me and Achilles are proud to have as a father. We will be surprised if you ever listen to our nonsense about retiring."_

 _Albus chuckled as he pushed a bottle of Every Flavour Beans to his daughter. Unlike him, she liked every flavour, even though she ate an earwax flavour once she didn't lose her liking for them, she just skipped that colour instead and ate the rest._

 _Athena was about to reach for the bottle when she saw Albus's hand._

 _She looked in alarm and asked, "I heard from Mum that you have injured your hand, can't a trip to St Mungo's do anything about it?"_

 _Albus shook his head and waved his hand at her. "However, don't you think it looks rather interesting?"_

 _Athena curled her lip. "Ugh, no."_

 _Albus smiled as he looked at his hand, "I would try to find a cure for it, don't worry… now, how is that trip of yours to Iceland, was it fun? Did you get anything for me and your mother there?"_

 _Athena chattered as Albus listened attentively and she gave him a piece of Ever-lasting Ice, which could darkened a room and show the Northern Lights at night._

 _"How I wish I could stay here with you again at night to see the Northern Lights with you, just like how you watch the night sky with me when I was little…" said Athena and she pouted, "but with the war going on, the Ministry kept sending me out to make peace…ha, with that Umbridge attitude, I doubt that we could get far…"_

 _"Now now Athena, there's no time to grumble about your superiors," said Albus and leaned forward, his eyes twinkling as he looked at his daughter in the eyes, "Even though you and I know that they have the intelligence of you know what…"_

 _Athena giggled as Albus patted her hand fatherly. "We will have time to look at the night sky again, when it's over."_

 _Athena nodded and got up. "I got to go now, take care now Father…"_

 _Albus nodded back and said, "Go and say hello to your mother as well, and give my regards to Terrence."_

 _"I will." said Athena and went over to kiss her father goodbye on the cheek._

 _After Athena left, Albus's smile faded and he slumped on his chair, breathing abnormally. He was already feeling uncomfortable but he controlled himself and kept up a strong front until his daughter left. The portraits shifted uneasily._

 _"Albus, are you all right?" asked Derwent. "Maybe I should get Minerva…"_

 _"For the countless time, Derwent, I said no…" said Albus as he began to cough violently, bending over and his hand gripped on the edge of his desk. "Get… Severus…"_

 _"I will go." said Phineas and he left his frame._

 _Soon, Severus stepped in with anxiety. "Headmaster…"_

 _"Severus…" gasped Albus weakly as he coughed. Snape went beside him and gave him a clear potion that he had been carrying all these while._

 _Albus barely drank the potion before he coughed and spat it out again, this time it was clear with red, and it was all over the desk, staining the documents and the Ever-lasting Ice with pale red…_

 _Snape watched, horror-stricken as Albus looked at his desk emotionlessly, breathing heavily as he took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth clean from his own blood slowly._

 _"Severus, I believe the time has come sooner than I thought…even the potion doesn't work for me now."_

 _He said that as if he was just talking about a Quidditch match that ended early._

 _"Headmaster…"_

 _"Remember our plan, Severus." said Albus, looking at Snape seriously. "Remember, and stick to it."_

 _"… Yes, Headmaster." said Snape unwillingly._

 _"Well," said Albus, looking at the portraits after his breathing had returned to normal. "I'm sorry but I afraid that your sizes had to be shrunk to make room for my portrait any time now."_

 _The portraits muttered and shook their heads with sadness._

* * *

 _"You looking for me, Albus?" asked Minerva as she walked in the office the next night._

 _Wearing a long green dress like he had asked, like Albus, she had grown old, with grey strands among her black hair which she had tied into a casual French twist. Although she had aged, she aged gracefully, with only a few lines on her face and her beauty remained somewhat the same._

 _Albus smiled at his wife before walking to her and held her hands, which had wrinkled but still beautiful in their own way._

 _"I have been working too hard and neglecting you, leaving you out of whatever Harry and I have been doing… I want to make it up to you tonight. Otherwise I will forget how do you look like."_

 _Minerva tried to stop herself from smiling back. "Glad that you realize that. You do remember that I'm still a member of the Order now, isn't it?"_

 _"Now, no mention of the Order or anything related today." said Albus as he led his wife to a table, which he had placed a vase of roses, their dinner and two glasses of wine._

 _"Today, I'm just an old man who wanted to put down his work and be together with his wife of 35 years. If the wife doesn't wish to, he shall have to go back to his desk and continue his misery."_

 _Minerva giggled as he pulled out the chair for her. "Of course I wish to."_

 _Albus hummed merrily as he opened the bottle of wine and poured it out. Minerva watched. Was it just the candlelight or Albus looked younger and stronger now than he had been for this past year? As Albus always looked tired and pale, she always asked him about his condition out of concern but smart as he was, he always managed to find a way to change the conversation. However, seeing that he was as well as before now, Minerva was at ease…_

 _The portraits watched as the old couple ate, with conversations now and then, none of them was about the second war, Horcruxes or Voldemort. Soon they had finished their meal and Albus stood up._

 _Waving his hand to start up a waltz from the radio, he held out his other hand to her. "My lady, may I have the honour to dance with you?"_

 _Minerva smiled. There he was, standing in front of her looking as suave as ever in his dark purple suit with yellow stars that encircled the cuffs, his silver hair and beard tied neatly. She took his hand and stood up, waltzing with him as the music played._

 _"I love it when you wear suits, very handsome." whispered Minerva as they danced._

 _"Easy to dance in too," said Albus, smiling mischievously. "I don't have to worry about having to trip over them while dancing. I'm able to see where my feet are going."_

 _Minerva chuckled before Albus leaned forward and added in her ear, "And it allows me to stand closer to you, hold you closer without much restriction."_

 _Minerva blushed as Albus held her closer as they danced. "Somebody is getting bold in his words."_

 _"I always am." whispered Albus._

 _"You know very well what I mean." replied Minerva and asked, "Any idea what are we going to do after the war?"_

 _Albus looked as if he was thinking, then he smiled. "No idea, you decide."_

 _"Let's go back to our summer house, take a long long break away from Hogwarts and everything else here. We can ask our children to come along with us, together with Terrence and our dear sweet little Pallas. We haven't seen her in person since the war begins."_

 _Albus nodded and smiled at the thought of their granddaughter. Then when the realization of not being able to see her forever again sank in, he hugged Minerva tighter, burying his face in her hair._

 _"You miss her isn't it? I miss her too." said Minerva softly as she leaned on him, resting her head on his chest._

 _Albus lifted his head and sighed heavily. "We both do… Minerva, I'm going to be away for a few hours tomorrow. Manage the school when I'm gone, will you?"_

 _"Oh that explains all the romantic stuff, you have a favour to ask." grumbled Minerva half-heartedly in his chest._

 _Albus chuckled in response._

 _"What is now? The Order?"_

 _"Hmm, something like that." said Albus not answering directly again._

 _"When are you going to tell me everything?" asked Minerva, a sense of worry filled her heart._

 _"When it's over, Minerva, when it's over." said Albus and kissed her forehead with affection. "You will support me, won't you?"_

 _"Only when it comes to the matter about Snape," said Minerva as she closed her eyes as he brushed his lips against her eyelids, "and other nonsensical ideas you have come up with. Other than those things, you know that I will support you no matter what."_

 _"Thank you…" Albus kissed her on the nose. "I know all along that I have married the right woman…you have been by my side for 35 years, loving me and bearing my children, I'm so grateful…"_

 _"And I still will be for another 35 years…" said Minerva, not noticing that tears had rolled down her husband's cheeks. He wiped it away with a non-verbal spell before she discovered. "We still have a long life ahead of us."_

 _"Oh Minerva…" Albus whispered her name with tender and love for the last time. "Minerva…"_

 _Both of them fell silent as Albus held her. Minerva hugged him back tighter and smiled, unaware that this was the last night she could ever be in his arms. Albus looked up, his face filled with pain and sorrow..._

* * *

A portrait appeared among the rest in the office, with a voice that said, "Well, here I am."

The Headmasters and Headmistresses turned to see the large portrait of Albus Dumbledore, whom smiled gaily at them. "Have you all been talking about me?"

"Yes we have," said Derwent. "We talked so much about you, from your youth to your final night with your dear wife."

"Ah my dear Minerva," said Albus with a sad smile. "She will have a lot on her shoulders right now. Pity that I have to step down now. I do hope that she will get over my death soon."

"You know that it will take a very very long time, Albus," retorted Phineas. "35 years of marriage! Not 35 days!"

"Why Phineas, I didn't know that you are so sentimental." said Albus, smirking.

"Blah!"

"Albus, since you are gone, how are you going to face Minerva in this office? You know she would be grief-stricken." said Dippet. "And since she is the Headmistress now…"

Albus gave a long sigh. "I know she will be. How I wish I could hold her in my arms and comfort her… but I'm just a portrait."

The rest of the portraits were silent as Albus shifted in a comfortable position of his armchair.

"Now if you all excuse me, I would like to pretend to sleep. I could hear my wife and Harry Potter coming up the stairs. Please don't try to wake me up no matter what. It pains me now to see her and I definitely would hate to see the look on my children's faces when they have rushed here after receiving news about my death."

With that, Albus Dumbledore took off his half-moon spectacles and closed his eyes in the portrait as the doors of the Headmaster's office opened.


End file.
